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nikkieliz13's review against another edition
3.0
⎯» Rating*: 3.75 Stars
⎯» Genre(s): Contemporary Romance
⎯» POV: Dual—First Person
*(this rating and review is for the standalone edition of [b: Keep Me Still], which includes the prequel and sequel novellas)
❥
❥
Landen and Layla’s story is an emotional journey that explores the power of love and hope in the face of loss and fear.
I appreciate the fact that both the prequel and sequel novellas are included in this standalone edition, as the extra insight into Landen and Layla’s past and future created a stronger connection to their love story.
Additionally, Caisey Quinn did an amazing job of adjusting her writing to match the tone of each book. Young adult romance for the prequel, college romance for the main book, and new adult romance for the sequel. My mind keeps comparing it to Goldilocks—which isn’t too far off—as you’re bound to love at least one of the books featuring Layla and Landen’s romance.
❥
⎯»Extra Information
❥
⎯» Genre(s): Contemporary Romance
⎯» POV: Dual—First Person
*(this rating and review is for the standalone edition of [b: Keep Me Still], which includes the prequel and sequel novellas)
❥
“That what you want?” he asks, round, warm eyes pleading into mine.
“Mmhm,” I murmur, because what can I say?
No, I want you. I want you to have kissed me back then, to have loved me like I loved you, to love me still. To keep me still like you used to. Yeah, no.
❥
Landen and Layla’s story is an emotional journey that explores the power of love and hope in the face of loss and fear.
I appreciate the fact that both the prequel and sequel novellas are included in this standalone edition, as the extra insight into Landen and Layla’s past and future created a stronger connection to their love story.
Additionally, Caisey Quinn did an amazing job of adjusting her writing to match the tone of each book. Young adult romance for the prequel, college romance for the main book, and new adult romance for the sequel. My mind keeps comparing it to Goldilocks—which isn’t too far off—as you’re bound to love at least one of the books featuring Layla and Landen’s romance.
❥
⎯»Extra Information
•Series or Standalone:
Standalone in Series
•HEA:Spoiler
Yes
•Cliffhanger:
No
•Relationship:
M-F Romance
•Tropes/Labels:
—Second-Chance Romance
—High-School Sweethearts
—Sports Romance
—College Romance
—Medical (heroine has seizure disorder)
—Orphan Heroine
—Hero w/ Anger Issues
—Tortured Hero/Heroine
—Angst
•Triggers:Spoiler
death of parents, medical illness (seizure disorder, inoperable hematoma), suicidal thoughts, toxic relationship (parental), child abuse (physical, emotional), anger issues (IED), ptsd, gun violence (murder), physical assault
•Sexual Content:On page (no sex in prequel)
❥
ravencourt23's review against another edition
3.0
I liked Landen and Layla a lot more in the novella that was set before this book. In this book, Landen was so much more possessive and violent, and it really made me hate him. He gets even worse in the novella set after this book, and I couldn't even finish that novella because of how toxic their relationship had become. I enjoyed Layla's development though and the storyline about her parents and her PTSD, and I loved Corin. I would've preferred to read a novella about Corin and Skylar instead of Layla and Landen.
haley_j_casey's review
3.0
Something about this rubbed me the wrong way, and I know why, partly, and partly I don't. So. Let me think on it.
librovert's review
3.0
What I didn't realize when I picked up this copy of the book, is that it also included the prequel novella [b:Let You Leave|18802925|Let You Leave (Keep Me Still, #0.5)|Caisey Quinn|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/book/50x75-a91bf249278a81aabab721ef782c4a74.png|26730796] which was such a good beginning to the story. Unfortunately, the novel itself was lacking.
As I read my way through the first third of the book - which ended up being the aforementioned novella - I was in love. Layla is suffering from PTSD after the death of her parents and has been home schooled for the past few years after suffering an embarrassing seizure in front of her classmates. She is determined to finish out her high school career in a public school, but no one will let her forget her episode. She's shunned and ostracized until Landen O'Brien, a new kid from Colorado, looks at her and see her. The relationship they form is sweet, chaste, and they manage fall in love without any physical bonds between them. But the other shoe is always ready to drop, and when Landen has to move back to Colorado he devastates Layla in the process. The novella had so many feels, and although I was confused at the abrupt ending when I realized it was a novella, I was looking forward to the rest of the story.
I was so disappointed. The novel itself opens on Layla's first week at college, she has moved across the country in an attempt to take back her life and not be defined by her condition. She is shocked to find Landen among her peers. He's not there by coincidence, but those secrets will come later.
I, on the other hand, was shocked to find Landen's attitude so changed. His POV chapters read like a horny frat boy (a term I don't use loosely, being part of Greek life in college and not at all liking the connotations that go with the slag term "frat"). While he spent his time in the novella feeling protective over Layla, he spends his time in the novel getting drunk and getting in fights over other guys speaking to her. It felt like a complete turn around and it took me off guard.
While the novella was rated PG, the novel jumps up to NC-17 almost immediately. There was a heavier dose of teen angst in the novel, I spent half the time wanting to yell at each of them to spit it out already. It seemed like all the legitimate struggles they faced in their family lives in the novella were replaced with stupid misunderstandings because they wouldn't just tell each other how completely in love they were. It really ruined the romance I felt from the novella. Overall, quite disappointed in the novel itself.
As I read my way through the first third of the book - which ended up being the aforementioned novella - I was in love. Layla is suffering from PTSD after the death of her parents and has been home schooled for the past few years after suffering an embarrassing seizure in front of her classmates. She is determined to finish out her high school career in a public school, but no one will let her forget her episode. She's shunned and ostracized until Landen O'Brien, a new kid from Colorado, looks at her and see her. The relationship they form is sweet, chaste, and they manage fall in love without any physical bonds between them. But the other shoe is always ready to drop, and when Landen has to move back to Colorado he devastates Layla in the process. The novella had so many feels, and although I was confused at the abrupt ending when I realized it was a novella, I was looking forward to the rest of the story.
I was so disappointed. The novel itself opens on Layla's first week at college, she has moved across the country in an attempt to take back her life and not be defined by her condition. She is shocked to find Landen among her peers. He's not there by coincidence, but those secrets will come later.
I, on the other hand, was shocked to find Landen's attitude so changed. His POV chapters read like a horny frat boy (a term I don't use loosely, being part of Greek life in college and not at all liking the connotations that go with the slag term "frat"). While he spent his time in the novella feeling protective over Layla, he spends his time in the novel getting drunk and getting in fights over other guys speaking to her. It felt like a complete turn around and it took me off guard.
While the novella was rated PG, the novel jumps up to NC-17 almost immediately. There was a heavier dose of teen angst in the novel, I spent half the time wanting to yell at each of them to spit it out already. It seemed like all the legitimate struggles they faced in their family lives in the novella were replaced with stupid misunderstandings because they wouldn't just tell each other how completely in love they were. It really ruined the romance I felt from the novella. Overall, quite disappointed in the novel itself.
dubvanna's review
5.0
Loved Layla & Landen!!!!! I just want to hug them both!!
And Skylar & Corin!!!
Here's to hope that those two get their book!
Full review coming soon!! <333
And Skylar & Corin!!!
Here's to hope that those two get their book!
Full review coming soon!! <333
lovehollyxx's review
4.0
*ARC received in exchange for an honest review*
I struggled when reading this book for a while. In fact I struggled for the first 50%. Though it wasn't necessary the book being bad, I just didn't really feel like reading anything at all. But then just past the 50% point, something happened that shook me out of my spell and had me devouring the rest of the book.
In this version of Keep Me Still, we also get a prequel novella from the time the main characters first met, and a novella that follows their life after KMS. While there was a bit of repetition which I'm not a fan of, on a whole, I really enjoyed Landon and Layla's story. Or should I say their stories, because not only do they have a story to tell together, but they both face things on their own that they need to overcome.
Something heartbreaking happened to Layla in her past that you wouldn't wish on anyone and it's had a major effect on her life. And when I say major, I mean MAJOR. Having your parents gunned down infront of you - or even on TOP of you in Layla's case - at the age of thirteen is hard enough to deal with but as a result she left with seizure inducing PTSD. I couldn't even begin to imagine going through what she had and then continue to go through even more!
I would say that Landon isn't your typical book boyfriend. While he is gorgeous, incredibly swoon-worthy, amazing at the sexy stuff (he WILL get you all hot and bothered) and his love for Layla shines from the pages, he also has to deal with something big and it could lose him everything he's worked hard for. I lost count of the amount of times I said "Oh no, Landon!!!!" I was crushed for him because he just couldn't get a handle on his problems and I desperately wanted him to have a good life.
One thing that I really loved about their story is that although Layla has a life threatening condition, she's so strong. She's not a weak, helpless little girl like you could imagine her to be after what life has handed her. But in fact, she's the one who is there for Landon, and she helps him through his problems. He may be physically strong but Layla is mentally strong and in this relationship, that is the winning factor.
As you can probably tell, this book is high in emotions and especially when it comes to Landon's letter at the end. I criiiiied! If you didn't already love him then without a doubt, you would after reading that. I love these characters so much that I'm just not ready to let them go yet, but I'm very happy to say that secondary characters Corrin and Skylar will be getting their own book and I'm very excited to get to the bottom of their relationship.
I would honestly recommend that you buy anything that Caisey Quinn releases because she is a truly fantastic author that never fails to make you fall in love with a story. As always, I'll be eagerly awaiting her next release.
I struggled when reading this book for a while. In fact I struggled for the first 50%. Though it wasn't necessary the book being bad, I just didn't really feel like reading anything at all. But then just past the 50% point, something happened that shook me out of my spell and had me devouring the rest of the book.
In this version of Keep Me Still, we also get a prequel novella from the time the main characters first met, and a novella that follows their life after KMS. While there was a bit of repetition which I'm not a fan of, on a whole, I really enjoyed Landon and Layla's story. Or should I say their stories, because not only do they have a story to tell together, but they both face things on their own that they need to overcome.
Something heartbreaking happened to Layla in her past that you wouldn't wish on anyone and it's had a major effect on her life. And when I say major, I mean MAJOR. Having your parents gunned down infront of you - or even on TOP of you in Layla's case - at the age of thirteen is hard enough to deal with but as a result she left with seizure inducing PTSD. I couldn't even begin to imagine going through what she had and then continue to go through even more!
I would say that Landon isn't your typical book boyfriend. While he is gorgeous, incredibly swoon-worthy, amazing at the sexy stuff (he WILL get you all hot and bothered) and his love for Layla shines from the pages, he also has to deal with something big and it could lose him everything he's worked hard for. I lost count of the amount of times I said "Oh no, Landon!!!!" I was crushed for him because he just couldn't get a handle on his problems and I desperately wanted him to have a good life.
One thing that I really loved about their story is that although Layla has a life threatening condition, she's so strong. She's not a weak, helpless little girl like you could imagine her to be after what life has handed her. But in fact, she's the one who is there for Landon, and she helps him through his problems. He may be physically strong but Layla is mentally strong and in this relationship, that is the winning factor.
As you can probably tell, this book is high in emotions and especially when it comes to Landon's letter at the end. I criiiiied! If you didn't already love him then without a doubt, you would after reading that. I love these characters so much that I'm just not ready to let them go yet, but I'm very happy to say that secondary characters Corrin and Skylar will be getting their own book and I'm very excited to get to the bottom of their relationship.
I would honestly recommend that you buy anything that Caisey Quinn releases because she is a truly fantastic author that never fails to make you fall in love with a story. As always, I'll be eagerly awaiting her next release.
lfitzsimon14's review
1.0
Yk it was probably going to get 2 stars but then the cherry scene happened and I g2g